President Donald Trump has been accused of racism following a confrontation with CBS News reporter Weijia Jiang, an Asian American journalist. The incident occurred during a White House briefing on Monday, when Jiang asked Trump why he continues to claim the US is performing better than other countries in coronavirus testing, despite evidence to the contrary.
Trump responded by telling Jiang to "ask China that question," prompting the reporter to ask why he was directing the comment at her specifically. The president replied that he was addressing "anybody who would ask a nasty question like that." The exchange has drawn widespread criticism, with Democratic congressman Ted Lieu tweeting that "Asian Americans are Americans" and urging Trump to stop dividing the nation.
On Tuesday, Trump appeared to continue the confrontation on Twitter, writing without evidence: "Asian Americans are VERY angry at what China has done to our Country, and the World. Chinese Americans are the most angry of all. I don’t blame them!" Civil rights groups have expressed concern that such comments could fuel racism and harassment against Asian Americans.
CBS News issued a statement fully supporting Jiang and emphasising the importance of journalism to democracy. The coronavirus outbreak, which originated in China, has led to over 80,000 deaths in the US. Trump and his administration have repeatedly blamed China for the crisis, using terms like "Wuhan virus," despite warnings from health experts that such labels can lead to scapegoating.
